SE Apartment Building Locked Down After Fatal Shooting

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) Over five hundred residents of the Robert Yeldell Tower in SE DC were locked down for four hours as specialized DC police units hunted down at least two gunmen involved in a fatal shooting in the 800 block of Southern Avenue, SE. Two men are being held by police as persons of interest.

Active shooting units conducted an apartment by apartment search of the twelve story building between 3:45 pm and 8:00 pm Saturday. Witnesses said they saw the two gunmen run into the apartment building after fatally shooting a man near the 800 block of Southern Avenue, SE.

Police identified the victim as 29 year old Darrel Hendy. A building resident, who knew Hendy, told 9 NEWS NOW "He was a good guy trying to turn his life around. I can't believe it. It's crazy." She asked not to be identified.

Another resident who also asked for anonymity told 9 NEWS NOW as he peered down from his window into the courtyard teeming with police activity "The police doesn't come around here and things aren't going to get better until they do."

One of the men detained for questioning attempted to jump from an eleven story balcony say police. At this point, no motive has been established for the shooting.

No one in the building was hurt during the tense search that had residents hunkered down in their apartments without being allowed to leave. Others had to wait outside in the parking lot. Anyone attempting to exit an elevator was prevented from doing so in case there was an exchange of gunfire with the suspects.